Foot massager



March 20, 1951 W GUS-TUN 2,546,095

FOOT MASSAGER Filed Sept. 24, 1948 lllllllnllmmmlnnmllllllllllillll` u||unumnnlmm|unlllllllllmllllllllll l INVENTOR. VV4L TER' Hasn/N Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED' .STA-TES PATENT OFFICE l,2.546,095 y FT'MAS'SG Walter Gustlin; Laguna Beach, Calif. Applicatin's'eptember 24, 1'9'48',A Serial No.'v 50,920

(Cl. 12S- 57) t l 2 Claims. 1:- This finvention .relates lto 4improvements in" devices for massaging and treatingifeet.

The massaging device of this invention is of simple construction. 'It is ,designed to be heated or cooled, and is preferablyV hollow with a wide# mouthedopening for the introduction of aheating or `:coolingmediunfr Elfmay be heated electrically. Heatingorcooling simultaneously Vwith massaging relievesmuscular foot aches caused by fatigue and the like.

The massager of this invention is generally cylindrical so Vthat itin-ay bef-rolled on the floor or other surface. It is formed with one, or preferably two tread surfaces, on which the soles of the feet are pressed as the massager is rolled on the floor. The tread surface or surfaces are formed with large irregularities which exercise the feet as the massager is rolled under them. There are many welts on the tread surfaces which perform a double function. They increase the area of the tread surfaces and, pressing into the skin, increase the area of skin contact, giving an increased rate of heat transfer between each tread surface and the sole of the foot brought into contact with it. These welts also prevent slippage between the tread surfaces and the soles of the feet as they are rolled over them.

The invention includes a preferred form of massager with two tread surfaces divisible at about the longitudinal center giving two massagers, each having suitable closing means. These may be used independently of each other.

The invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing a massager of preferred design;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view showing the side elevation of the Variouscomponents of an alternative design of massager; and

Fi-g. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of the massager shown in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the elongate, hollow cylinder, molded preferably from glass, has an integral end wall II. The opposite end of the cylinder is open. The annular flange I3 at the open end I2 is concentric with the axis of the cylinder. On the outside surface of flange I3, a, thread I4 is molded to accommodate a similarly threaded, removable, water tight cap I 5 which is screwed into place after a desired thermal medium such as chunks of ice or hot water is put into the massager.

The portions of the cylinder indicated by numbers I6, Il and I8 are of larger diameter than the rest' ofthe massager an'd vmake''contactwitlfi'iay flat surface on which the massagerv is rlledl l As sl'iowi'i lon the drawings, the rollersil and Iaife located at the ends 'of the cylinder` and roller vI'l is located substantially in .-the center Amilling I9 may be molded into the'periphery of these rollers to provide better traction betweeijt kthe rollers and the fiat surface, but such milli'r'igis optional. n K y y Tread surfaces 2U and 2l I'are formed'between theseroller sections. Each is designed to accom; moda'te a. footv sole. A* pluralityy of longitudinal ribs -22L are'spaced around 'the'tre'afd surfacesiiil and 2| to provide the desired kneading action of the soles of the feet. A design consisting of a series of slightly raised welts 23 arranged in a herringbone pattern is molded along each of the longitudinal ribs on the tread surfaces 20 and 2 I. The raised Iwelts increase the rate of heat transfer between the soles of the feet and the tread surfaces and prevent slipping between these surfaces and the soles of the feet. Such means for increasing the traction is particularly desirable on a massager made of a material which presents a slick surface, such as glass.

The interior surface 24 is substantially smooth and advantageously follows the contour of the exterior surface so as to provide a massager of maximum strength with minimum weight and uni.- form heat transfer.

The construction of the massager of Fig. 2 differs from the one shown in Fig. l in that the m-assager is molded in two units each containing one tread surface rather than two. Each of the units 29 and 3l! of the massager is a hollow cylindrical structure preferably molded from glass and substantially half as long as the mas- Sager shown in Fig. 1. Unit 30 has an integral end wall 3| and the opposite end 32 is open. Roller surfaces 33 and 34 are provided at opposite ends of the tread surface. Milling 35 can be molded on the roller surfaces if desired. The contour of the tread surface 36 between the rollers is the same as that of tread surface 2| in Fig. 1. Longitudinal ribs 37 and welts 38 serve the same purpose as described above.

An annular flange 39, concentric with the axis of the cylinder is molded to the edge of the open end 32. Threads 4U are located around the outside of the flange 39 to accommodate a removable water-tight union 4I. This union 4I, fabricated from any suitable metal or plastic, is preferably cylindrical and is provided with water-tight bulkhead 42 which separates the two units 29 and 30. Threads 43 are formed on either side of the bulk- 3 head 42 so that the union 4l may be screwed onto the flanges at the open ends of units 29 and 30. This gives a dual eXerciser, the two halves of which may be heated to a different temperature.

For instance, one may be hot and the other cold. The bulkhead is therefore preferably made of heat insulating material. Caps such as the cap I5 of Fig. 1 may be supplied so that each of the units 29 and 30 may be converted into a complete massager capable of being used independently of the other.

The massager may be made from glass, any suitable metal, or plastic having a high heat conductivity. Instead of ribs other irregularities may be provided to produce the desired massaging effect. The welts must be of relatively small area and may be of any suitable shape and number and may be arranged as desired.

What I claim is:

1. A foot massager formed of two hollow portions and a union at about the longitudinal ceny,ter of the massager to which each is threaded, each hollow portion being open at the end united to the union, a bulkhead in the union to separate the respective hollow portions, a roller surface at vveach end of the massager of larger diameter than the rest of the massager capable of bearing simultaneously on a fiat surface, each portion being' provided with a tread surface, longitudinal ribs spaced radially around each tread surface to knead the sole of a foot brought into contact therewith, and on each rib a plurality of welts of '.-such small size as to have no appreciable mas- 4 saging action on the sole of a foot brought into contact therewith but facilitating the transfer of heat between the tread surface and the sole of a foot in contact therewith and providing traction for the sole of a foot on the tread surface.

2. A rollable, hollow foot massager of cylindrical contour, comprising a tread surface having a plurality of longitudinal ribs, the surface of each rib being provided with twogroups of small parallel straight welts, the groups being arranged on the rib in herring-bone formation, each rib terminating short of the depressed area dening adjacent ribs, and an annular roller surface at each end and at the middle of the massager, said roller surfaces being of larger diameter than the tread surface and capable of bearing simultaneously on a flat surface.

WALTER. GUSTLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,969,042 Senn 1 Aug. 7, 1934 2,221,785 Douglas Nov. 19, 1940 2,448,797 Gustlin Sept. '7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 152,674 Austria Oct. l5, 1937 

